From now until 12/20/2024, I am offering all my services at 50% off. To take advantage, be sure to mention either the "Gift a Better Career" special or just indicate 50% special. Schedule your consult to get the ball rolling at:  https://calendly.com/lesaedwards/zoom-meetings2 I receive a periodic newsletter from Suzie Price of pricelessprofessional.com. Suzie and I were in a mastermind together several years ago; Suzie is a consultant for companies who want to improve their hiring efforts. She sent out this “Quick Guide for Hiring” and I wanted to take a look at her steps from both the hiring and candidate side.   Phase 1 - Planning  Clarify Expectations – Be clear about what success looks like in the role.  Identify Key Skills & Behaviors – Know what traits drive high performance. Collaborate – Involve your team for diverse perspectives. Assign Roles – Give each interviewer areas to focus on for well-rounded assessments.  Takeaways for those involved in the hiring: This planning stage is often glossed over – or disjointed from those who will actually be doing the interviewing.  Start with the end in mind: What does this person need to know, do, and be for them to be successful in this role? Be sure you are taking your company’s mission, vision, and goals into consideration – otherwise, you may end up with someone who can do the job but isn’t a cultural fit for the organization.  Choosing the right people to be involved in this process is critical, as is giving each person a specific focus for the interviewing process. Who will this person interact with, both inside and outside their department?  If you are leading the process, make sure everyone involved knows what the process will be. How many candidates do you plan to interview, and what will that process look like? How and when will selection be made? Set expectations up front – and if you aren’t the leader and this isn’t being done – ask questions.  Takeaways for candidates: Your homework is to understand more than just the job description. You want to know the company’s mission, vision, and goals, the company’s history and plans for the future, who its competitors are and where this company fits in to that competition.  You also want to know who you’ll be interviewing with, so you can look them up on LinkedIn and get a sense of where they fit into the organization and how you would interact with them on the job. Knowledge is power!   Phase 2 – Interviewing Ask the Right Questions – Behavioral-based questions to assess competencies.  Spot High Performers – Look for traits like accountability and time management.  Stay Neutral – Talk less, listen more. Let candidates reveal themselves. Take Notes – It’s not just about what you hear. It’s about what you remember. Dig Deeper – If answers are vague, press for specifics. Clarity is key. Sell the Job – Highlight why your company and the role are worth their time.  Takeaways for those involved in the hiring: If your company doesn’t have a structured interview process – or if the structure in place isn’t working as well as it could – do what you can to effect a more useful process.  Ask each candidate the same set of questions – otherwise, it’s very difficult to evaluate them on equal footing. Of course,